Work out your own salvation? What does that mean?

Please note that the context starts back in verse 1 of chapter 2. Verse 1 declares that you and I in our sinful state is DEAD.

Now ask yourself the question then answer it. Can a DEAD person perform any type of WORK? The obvious answer is NO. What is God's remedy for our DEAD condition? Is it that we perform more DEAD WORKS? NO.

The only remedy for us being DEAD is that God MUST make us ALIVE, that is kill the DEAD us on the cross with Christ because that is the just and righteous requirement of the Law of God. The soul who sin, IT MUST DIE!

There are no exceptions to that LAW. Either you die with Christ and be raised with Christ to become ALIVE to God, or you die after the Great White Throne Judgment in the second death which is the lake of fire in outer darkness.

That's the only choices available. Now, the Lord continues explaining this process beginning in verse 4 thru 7.

1. God has mercy upon certain sinners, not because He is merciful, which He is, but because a PAYMENT of death via the CROSS has been deposited to our account. Someone DIED and blood was shed. Now that God is satisfied with the payment, He is free to allow us to experience His love instead of His righteous indignation.

2. Did God wait until we became alive first? No, that was impossible as the DEAD sinner has no means without ourselves to give ourselves life. God did this WHEN WE WERE DEAD. He MADE US ALIVE (CREATED, that's the beginning of verse 10) however God did not stop there, He did something absolutely mind numbing. God took us out of the Kingdom of Satan, this current world, and placed us into the New Jerusalem which is the Kingdom of Christ. The MADE (forced) us to sit (this is the REST from our works of trying to please God through our change of behavior mentioned in Hebrews 4) INSIDE of Christ Jesus but it is not here on this earth which is part of the world. We have been completely removed from the current world.

3. Why did God do that? Verse 7 is the answer to that question. Verse 7 declares that in the new world where in God dwells and we inside of Christ dwell with Him, we will be witnesses to the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness as a result of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus the Son of the Most High God.

4. Now beginning in verse 8, the LORD God actually reverts back to verse 1 thru 7 to explain the process of how all these things transpire.

Verse 8, it's a gift from God. What's a gift from God? The Faith! God makes it crystal clear that it is not yours or mine.

Verse 9, you and I did nothing to earn it, no works whatsoever will ever be allowed. Why not? Because you and I will brag about our "good works". Why can't God accept our good works? First because DEAD people can only produce DEAD WORKS which is sin. Second, as a believer, it is the Holy Spirit who establishes our desires that is He MAKES US WILLING, then He performs those "good works" through us.

Philippians 2:13 (NKJV) 13 for it is God WHO WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL (He makes us willing) AND TO DO (He performs the work He makes us willing to do) for His good pleasure (He does it only to satisfy Himself because we can't).

We are not actually doing the good works hence cannot take credit for them.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NKJV) 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

Yet the Lord will reward us for being subservient. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NKJV) 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Finally, we get to verse 10. The Lord tells us the finality of the process meaning it cannot be reversed. Why not? It cannot be reversed because one requires the power and authority as THE CREATOR to reverse it. Then He tells us the ultimate purpose for leaving us here on the earth in this current wicked world.

"For good works." What are the good works?

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 (NKJV) 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

and

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NKJV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This is confirmed by Paul. 1 Corinthians 1:17 (NKJV) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.